John Davidson, a columnist for the Federalist wrote in September 2021,
“As I write, the president is announcing a plan to force all federal workers to get a COVID-19 shot, and major employers to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for their workers or test them weekly, with crippling fines for those who don’t comply.
“This is not about freedom or personal choice,” said Biden. Indeed it’s not. It’s about total federal control over what the administrative state has come to view as its subjects, not citizens to whom it must answer. In the tyrannical worldview of the president and his advisors, nothing can stand in the way of government coercion, not even federalism.
“If these governors won’t help,” said Biden, “I will use my powers as president and get them out of the way.”
When considering the biblical response of Christians to the government, especially in the context of governmental overreach, there are a variety of opinions.
Speaking to a friend during the early days of the Covid pandemic when the government was trying to force masks and vaccines, he made the following statement.
“So long as man’s law doesn’t contradict God’s law, we should obey.”
There is certainly a divergence of opinions concerning this matter.
Some Christian organizations/teachers were saying that you must obey if the government tells you to get a vaccine.
Says one:
“Scripture teaches that believers do not have the liberty to disobey the law. When matters of liberty come into conflict with government directives, a believer must prioritize obeying the government ahead of exercising personal liberty, for to do otherwise is sin,
“Generally speaking, a believer is required to obey the government in all matters. We cannot ignore the Bible's command to obey the government simply because we disagree with our government's goals or methods or even for fear of suffering personal harm. We may disobey our government only when it requires something of us that directly contradicts God's word (see Acts 5:29)..."
Others state the exact opposite.
“Last August, I wrote why mandatory face masks were unbiblical. I also examined Romans 13 and 14 on the important role of conscience. I also explained how sphere sovereignty helps us navigate these issues . The same arguments apply to mandatory vaccines. In summary, to make a medical treatment mandatory violates conscience, violates God’s design for people made in his image, and exposes our government as increasingly tyrannical.”
Still, others skirt the issue by trying to virtue-signal
“When the disciple cut the ear off of the Roman Soldier who was arresting Jesus, he was fighting the wrong person in the wrong way. The real combat was when Jesus wanted him to pray with Christ in the Garden of Gethsemene; however, those disciples slept through those battles. Too many Christians are sleeping in these last days.”
“It’s time Christians wake up and stop trying to fight the controversial battles of our day involving politics, racism, pandemics, vaccines, and masks. The battle the Lord wants us to fight takes place on our knees praying and fighting against principalities and powers. Everybody has their opinions, but not everybody is truly praying in the Spirit against these principalities and powers that are overtaking our country and our lives.
“I choose not to fuss, fight, and argue. I instead choose to fight the good fight of faith through the means of prayer. Prayer is the Christian’s secret weapon that defeats the enemy every time! Wake up, then watch and pray!!”
Next week, let’s look closer at this matter from a biblical perspective. We need to know where we stand, biblically, on these matters, because we will be challenged again to conform and comply. If we don’t have solid ground to stand on, we will cave to the pressure.
